We’re thrilled to introduce you to anCnoc peatheart – our latest and ongoing peaty expression

Following the launch of our limited edition Peaty Collection, seven award wins and remarkable feedback from our fans we’re thrilled to introduce you to anCnoc peatheart – our latest and ongoing peaty expression.

What’s in a name?

Crafted at our enchanting Knockdhu Distillery in the heart of the picturesque village of Knock in Aberdeenshire, Peatheart takes its name from the nearby peat bogs and its abundance of natural resources which are wonderfully suited to creating a fine smoky Scotch whisky.

Our smokiest offering to date

Peatheart uses barley, specified by our Master Blender, malted to 40ppm.  The result as you would expect is an intensely smoky, warm yet smooth finish. Matured in bourbon barrels for over a decade, this expression celebrates the traditions of the whisky making process, as peat was historically an essential fuel in the drying of barley for the distillation of the liquid.

Tasting notes

Pale amber in appearance the whisky delivers an initial smoky burst on the nose which surrenders to a surge of fruitiness. Notes of ripe pears, apples and citrusy lime give way to a slight hint of tobacco in the background. To taste, smoky flavours are laced with leather and sweet stewed apples. Closely followed by chocolate, the whisky is perfectly complemented by sweet vanilla and zesty lemon, leaving drinkers with a lingering warmth and floral smokiness.

Packaging

Peatheart’s packaging honours our minimalist yet contemporary style of anCnoc’s core range. Encased in a striking black and gold foil pack, the design features a golden eagle, a bird of prey which is frequently spotted soaring above the peat bogs local to the distillery.

TOMATIN DISTILLERY SCOOPS TWO AWARDS AT PRESTIGIOUS HIGHLAND & ISLANDS FOOD AND DRINK AWARDS

Tomatin Distillery is celebrating after being crowned a winner in two categories, Environment and Excellence, at the prestigious Highland & Islands Food & Drink Awards 2017.

Picking up the Environment Award for its commitment to responsible environmental practice, the distillery boasts various green schemes including being the first in Scotland to install an environmentally efficient steam boiler. Its eco-friendly status is further boosted as locally produced sustainable virgin wood pellets fuel the boiler. This shift from heavy fuel oil to biomass has been critical in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing the use of non-fossil fuels.

In addition to this, the distillery uses a green waste system consisting of a reed bed of over 18,000 varieties of plants. These work to naturally filter and cleanse the distillery’s liquid effluent as well as providing an ideal habitat for local wildlife.

The distillery also scooped the coveted Excellence award. This special award is reserved by the expert judging panel to recognise and reward overall excellence in any of the award categories.

The glittering awards ceremony, hosted by Jay Rayner, award-winning writer, journalist and broadcaster, was held in the Kingsmill Hotel, Inverness on Friday 20^th.

15 winners were awarded for their outstanding commitment to the industry, and excellence in quality and innovation, chosen from a Highland hotlist of 34 finalists.

Robert Anderson, Tomatin CEO, said, “To be taking home two awards and a commendation this year is a fantastic result for Tomatin Distillery. Our dedication to greener practices and commitment to the environment through our reduction in fossil fuel reliance, as well as our green waste and other green policies, helped us scoop the Environment Award. In addition to this we were awarded the overall Excellence Award, which is reserved by the judging panel to recognise and reward excellence across all categories. The Highlands are home to some of the best food and drink brands in Scotland and the competition was fierce on the night, so this is a real achievement for Tomatin.”

The Highlands & Islands Food & Drink Awards launched in 2005 and have since represented some of the region’s most celebrated food and drink businesses. The food and drink industry is integral to the Highlands and Islands, supporting around 32,000 full time jobs and generating in excess of £1 billion per year for the region.

The awards are delivered with the support of a number of Scottish businesses, including; Bidfood Scotland, Johnston Carmichael, Gordon & MacPhail and Booker Wholesale.

Full further information please visit: www.tomatin.com

The Carnegie Whisky Cellars based in Dornoch is delighted to be shortlisted as a finalist in the category of Newcomer of the Year at the Drinks Retailing Awards 2018. This follows on from their award win for Off License of the Year at the Independent Retailer Awards earlier this year.

Michael Hanratty, General Manager of The Carnegie Whisky Cellars said, “This is a real honour for all the team. It has been a good year, turnover has increased month on month and the shop is rapidly gaining a reputation for stocking some of the finest Scottish spirits. We take pride in giving visitors and locals alike a unique opportunity to sample all that local Highland Distilleries and those further across Scotland have to offer, all under one roof. Our aim is to sell the best of Scottish. Just last month we took an order for 8 bottles that worked out at 409 years of whisky, averaging 51 years per bottle and earlier in the year, 18 bottles all at 40 years old, a staggering 720 years of whisky! “

The shop itself offers a relaxed and personalised take on classic customer service which leads to many customers commenting and returning as they do not feel pressured or intimidated when visiting the store. The Carnegie Whisky Cellars offers specialist knowledge but do it in a special way. They also go out of their way to source rare & collectable bottles for customers which generally are no longer available in the trade and offer a best rate guarantee.

Follow The Carnegie Whisky Cellars on Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date with events and new releases.

The Carnegie Courthouse Castle Street, Dornoch IV25 3SD

Call : 01862 811791 or Email: whisky@thecarnegiecourthouse.co.uk

GIFT THE TASTE OF CHRISTMAS WITH THE DALMORE

For those looking for the ultimate gift this Christmas, the world’s only six-cask finish whisky, The Dalmore King Alexander III, is the definitive single malt to gift this festive season.

As one of the Highland distillery’s signature whiskies, The Dalmore King Alexander III has been matured in ex-bourbon casks, Matusalem oloroso sherry butts, Madeira barrels, Marsala casks, Port pipes and Cabernet Sauvignon wine barriques.

The flavours combine in perfect harmony to create a complex yet smooth single malt, which leaves a finish of classic and traditional Christmas spices including sweet cinnamon and nutmeg.

With aromas of red berry fruits and a zing of citrus zest on the palate, the exquisite King Alexander III is an impeccable way to mark the festive season.

Painstakingly created by Master Distiller Richard Paterson, who has made it his mission to continually evolve the art of multi-cask maturation and finishing, The Dalmore King Alexander III is the first and only single malt in the world to unite a unique six-cask finish for one outstanding achievement.

Richard Paterson, Master Distiller at The Dalmore said: “A bottle of King Alexander III is truly a privilege to give and receive during this festive time, the complex flavours of this unique whisky impart the taste of Christmas long in the mouth. A perfect way to mark the season with family and friends, the unique finishing of this expression results in a whisky which has great character and an unrivalled flavour and depth.

The Dalmore King Alexander III is named in honour of the 13^th Century King of Scotland, who gifted the 12-pointed Royal Stag emblem to the Mackenzie Clan, owners of The Dalmore distillery, as a reward for saving him from a charging stag. To this day, the iconic Stag still adorns each and every bottle of The Dalmore and contains a powerful promise that The Dalmore will remain at the pinnacle of single malt.

The Dalmore King Alexander III is available in selected single malt specialist stores or via www.thedalmore.com.

Price: £165 Volume: 70cl ABV: 40%

Notes:

Tasting Notes

Aroma:   Red berry fruits, fresh flowers and passion fruit

Palate:   Citrus zest, vanilla pod and crème caramel  

Finish:    Sweet cinnamon and nutmeg

ABV:      40% 

The Dalmore

The Dalmore is the definitive malt, since 1839.

Founded by Sir Alexander Matheson, a restless entrepreneur and international businessman, The Dalmore was born with a different purpose, to go above and beyond to create luxurious single malt whisky unlike any other.

An unbroken chain of exceptional whisky makers have been fulfilling Sir Alexander’s vision ever since, pioneering multi cask maturation over 100 years before this was commonly adopted by others in the industry.

Richard Paterson has been Master Distiller at The Dalmore for nearly 50 years.  The whiskies he has created during his tenure have help Richard to achieve global celebrity status.

IRISH DISTILLERS’ PRESTIGE WHISKEY RANGE GOES DOUBLE PLATINUM

AT BEVERAGE TESTING INSTITUTE  

Irish Distillers’ Prestige Whiskey range has collected another impressive haul of medals at the Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) with nine Gold or above awards, demonstrating the unrivalled quality and craftsmanship of the whiskeys from the Midleton Distillery.

Midleton Dair Ghaelach won a Platinum medal – BTI’s highest honour – and was praised by the judges for its classic rich, spicy single pot still taste profile.  It scored 97/100, making it the the no.1 Irish Whiskey and the joint second highest scoring whisk(e)y in the entire competition.

Redbreast 12 Cask Strength also Platinum, and with Redbreast 12, Redbreast 15 and Redbreast 21 each winning Gold medals, Redbreast has cemented its place as the most awarded single pot still whiskey in the world.

Brian Nation, Master Distiller at Irish Distillers, said: “We are thrilled to see more fantastic results for Irish Distillers’ Prestige range at a global spirit tasting competition. Over the course of the 2017 awards season each of our Prestige ranges – Redbreast, Midleton, Powers, Spot and METHOD AND MADNESS – have won acclaim. Midleton Dair Ghaelach and Redbreast 12 Cask Strength have enjoyed the limelight at the Beverage Testing Institute and we look forward to further wins in 2018. It’s great to be able to raise a glass once again to the passionate and skilled production team at Midleton.” 

Full results from Beverage Testing Institute 2017:

97 • Midleton Dair Ghaelach – Platinum

96 • Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength – Platinum

95 • Redbreast 21 Year Old – Gold

93 • Redbreast 12 Year Old – Gold

93 • Redbreast 15 Year Old – Gold

92 • Powers Three Swallow Release – Gold

92 • Midleton Very Rare – Gold

90 • Green Spot – Gold

88 • Redbreast Lustau Edition – Silver

About Irish Distillers

Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard is Ireland’s leading supplier of spirits and wines and producer of the world’s most well-known and successful Irish whiskeys. Led by Jameson, our brands are driving the global renaissance of Irish whiskey. Jameson is the world’s fastest-growing Irish whiskey, experiencing 28 years of consecutive growth and hitting sales of 6.5m cases in 2017. Our brands are exported to 130+ markets, with over 71 of those experiencing double- or triple-digit growth.

Irish Distillers was formed in 1966, when a merger took place between John Power & Son, John Jameson & Son and Cork Distilleries Company. In 1988 Irish Distillers joined Pernod Ricard, gaining access to unprecedented levels of investment and an extensive global distribution network. Since 2012, we have invested over €250m to double our production and bottling capacity to meet global demand for our products.

We employ over 600 people across our operations in Cork and Dublin. 

About Pernod Ricard

Pernod Ricard is the world’s n°2 in wines and spirits with consolidated Sales of € 9, 010 million in 2016/17. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has undergone sustained development, based on both organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard holds one of the most prestigious brand portfolios in the sector: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier- Jouët champagnes, as well Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard employs a workforce of approximately 18,500 people and operates through a decentralised organisation, with 6 “Brand Companies” and 86 “Market Companies” established in each key market. Pernod Ricard is strongly committed to a sustainable development policy and encourages responsible consumption. Pernod Ricard’s strategy and ambition are based on 3 key values that guide its expansion: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust and a strong sense of ethics. http://www.pernod-ricard.com/

Wemyss Malts Autumn 2017 Single Cask Whisky Release

Independent bottler Wemyss Malts have released a total of 12 new single cask whiskies ranging from 11 to 36 years old. Selected and approved by the prominent whisky writer Charlie Maclean, each bottling has a colourfully descriptive name illustrating the plethora of aromas and flavours that can be found in single cask whisky and have been bottled natural colour and non-chill-filtered.

The full list of the autumn single cask release comprises of:

“Herb and Lime Salsa” a (26YO) single cask hogshead from Bunnahabhain distillery, bottled at 46%

“Bittersweet Baklava” a (28YO) single cask hogshead Bunnahabhain distillery, bottled at 46%

“The Viceroy’s Elixir” a (29YO) single cask butt from Bunnahabhain distillery, bottled at 46%

“Mocha on the Deck” a (18YO) single cask butt from Bowmore distillery, bottled cask strength at 59.3%

“Carpaccio Salsa Verde” a (36YO) single cask hogshead from Caol Ila distillery, bottled at 46%

“Stewed Fruit Relish” a (14YO) single cask hogshead from Craigellichie distillery, bottled at 46%

“A Liquorice Potion” a (19YO) single cask barrel from Benrinnes distillery, bottled at 46%

“Forest Fresh” a (21YO) single cask hogshead from Glen Keith distillery bottled at 46%

“Under the Lemon Tree” a (22YO) single cask hogshead from Linkwood distillery bottled at 46%

“Apple Blossom” a (25YO) single cask hogshead from Blair Athol distillery bottled at 46%

“Trawlerman’s Satchel” a (11YO) single cask hogshead Croftengea from Loch Lomond Distillery bottled at 46%

“Princes Torte” a (9 YO) single cask hogshead from grain distillery North British bottled cask strength at 64.8%

William Wemyss, Founder and Managing Director at Wemyss Malts, commented: “Autumn is all about treasuring the bountiful harvest of the months gone by, with this in mind our latest selection of single casks convey an assortment of fortifying and warming flavours. With this assortment of single casks from the spritely and sweet ‘Princes Torte’ North British to the incredibly decadent Bunnahabhain aptly named “The Viceroy’s Elixir” and the show stopping 36 year old Caol Ila named “Carpaccio Salsa Verde” we truly have something to please all whisky fans.

Each cask is limited to only a few hundred bottles with suggested retail prices ranging from £60 to £390. These bottlings will be available in selected retailers in the UK, EU and key Asian markets.

Notes:

• Edinburgh based Wemyss Malts is owned by the Wemyss family and their family seat is Wemyss Castle in Fife where they’ve lived since the 1300s.
• Wemyss Malts has a blended malt whisky range comprising of The Hive, Spice King, Peat Chimney, bottled 46% and at Batch Strength, as well as the newly released Family Collection and blended Scotch range, Lord Elcho.
• The Wemyss family premium wines and spirits brands also include boutique Darnley’s Gin, together with the premium wine estate of Rimauresq Cru Classé in Cotes de Provence.
• The family distillery Kingsbarns, near St. Andrews, Fife has recently released a 2 year old Spirit Drink available exclusively from the visitor centre. www.kingsbarnsdistillery.com

“Ancient Scotch mixture” returns: James Eadie’s Trade Mark “X” revived after 70 years

• First retailed 1854, trademarked 1877, praised by Harper’s writer 1889
• Elegant but peaty blend now revived by founder’s great great grandson
• Original ingredients in new bottling include ‘silent’ stills Cambus and Littlemill
• Blended Scotch showing signs of resurgence in UK and abroad, accounting for 9-in-10 bottles sold worldwide

LONDON, 18th October 2017 – An ancient whisky blend dating back to the 1850s which became one of the world’s first trademarks has been revived to serve blended Scotch’s growing export and resurgent domestic markets.

James Eadie’s Trade Mark “X” blends all 12 of the whiskies still in production listed in the founder’s Victorian ledgers, including Caol Ila, Aberlour, Craigellachie and Lagavulin. Plus there’s a grain and a malt from ‘silent’ stills Cambus and Littlemill – closed in the early 1990s – and now very hard to acquire.

“Some people in the trade think I’m mad using these premium singles and extremely rare whiskies in a blend, but the art of blending is what gave Scottish whisky the dominant position in global spirits which it enjoys today,” says Rupert Patrick, Eadie’s great great grandson, a former director at Ian Macleod, Beam and then Diageo, and now MD of James Eadie Ltd.

“Eadie’s blend was outstanding because he didn’t stint on quality. This first bottling of Trade Mark ‘X’ in 70 years is as enticing and complex as the original. It’s all about authenticity.”

Born in Blackford near Gleneagles in 1827, James Eadie moved south to Burton-on-Trent, founding his own brewery in 1854 and began retailing a Scotch recipe – apparently handed down to him by his father – that was subsequently blended by another four generations.

Eadie trademarked the blend’s cross logo in 1877, one year after the Trade Marks Registration Act became law – some 32 years before Chivas Regal came into existence, and 18 years before Jack Daniels even began to use his famous square bottle in Tennessee, USA.

In 1889 Alfred Barnard, the famed author of The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom (1887), praised Eadie’s “ancient Scotch mixture” in his Noted Breweries of Great Britain and Ireland (Volume 2), saying it was “dispensed to a favoured few” at the brewer’s head office.

The blend in fact featured in the public houses owned and run by the Eadie family, numbering over 300 by the turn of the century. They sold the business to Bass in 1933, which then continued production of Trade Mark “X” until 1947.

Rupert relaunched James Eadie Ltd as an independent bottler in 2016. Whisky retailers and critics have praised its small-run bottlings of single malts. Its Caol Ila 8-year old Small Batch was voted the most popular Islay whisky of the 2017 Edinburgh Whisky Fringe.

Knowing a little of Trade Mark “X”s history – and having tasted a bottling from before WWII – Rupert dug into Eadie’s ledgers, now held at the National Brewery Archives in Burton, and set out to recreate this blend as a “sip back in time” for today’s  global base of Scotch whisky fans.

Says Rupert:

“Trade Mark ‘X’ was crafted during the first golden age of Scotch, when Victorian entrepreneurs like James Eadie produced elegant, high quality drinks and built them into strong brands.”

“Reviving Trade Mark ‘X’ has been great fun. I’ve always been convinced that some of the old blends were incredibly good, deserving to stand shoulder to shoulder with any top quality single malt today. Blending is perhaps the biggest skill in the Scotch industry.”

Blended whisky accounts for 9 in every 10 bottles of Scotch sold overseas, according to data from HMRC. Over the 12 months to July exports of blend grew 1.5% by volume and 3.9% by value.

Blended Scotch is also undergoing a renaissance at home, having slowly declined since the 1980s as single malts grew in popularity. UK consumption of blended Scotch rose 1% by volume in 2015 and 2016. Blends now account for more than 8-in-10 bottles of Scotch sold in the UK.

Now crafted by master blender Norman Matheson, this new bottling of Trade Mark ‘X’ shows an elegant balance between sweet and floral Speyside flavours and more peaty, smoky notes typical of island malts.

Already shipped to 6 export markets including Japan, France, Denmark and Germany, Trade Mark ‘X’ is available today from a variety of independent UK retailers including Royal Mile Whiskies and Master of Malt. Recommended retail price is £45. UK distribution enquiries should be sent to sales@jameseadie.co.uk.

Notes: 

About James Eadie Ltd 

First established in 1854, James Eadie Ltd was revived in 2016 by the founder’s great great grandson, Rupert Patrick. Today, the company is an independent Scotch whisky blender and bottler. The James Eadie single malts are exported to eight international markets and are distributed in the UK by Royal Mile Whiskies. The company is building a reputation as a supplier of top quality specialist whiskies, with its bottling of Caol Ila voted the most popular Islay whisky of the 2017 Edinburgh Whisky Fringe.

As well as single malts, James Eadie also owns a blended Scotch whisky brand, Trade Mark “X”. This brand was revived in October 2017, having been dormant since its last bottling in the late 1940’s. Master Blender Norman Mathison used his fifty years’ blending experience to re-master this once famous Scotch brand. A key feature in the revival of the brand was the discovery of the company’s original whisky ledgers from the mid to late 19^th Century, which revealed a blend made from some of Scotland’s finest whiskies, then and now. Only whiskies from distilleries listed in the founder’s ledgers have been used.

James Eadie Ltd is a member of the Scotch Whisky Association, whose role is to advance the global interests and profile of Scotch whisky. 

About Rupert Patrick

Rupert Patrick has over 25 years’ experience in all aspects of the whisky business, building brands and managing duty-free and export-market sales at Ian Macleod Distillers, Beam Suntory and then Diageo. A liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Distillers, Rupert is a Keeper of the Quaich.

For further information, please visit www.jameseadie.co.uk/

Heaven Hill Distillery Dedicates Largest Single-Site Bourbon Distillery in American Whiskey

$25 million expansion of the historic Bernheim facility brings capacity to 400,000 barrels per year

BARDSTOWN, KY – Heaven Hill Distillery today dedicated the expansion of its Bernheim facility, creating the single largest Bourbon production site after a $25 million investment. Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-03) and Mayor Greg Fischer joined Heaven Hill President Max L. Shapira and Master Distiller Denny Potter in a toast to the latest advancement in industry innovation.

Dating back to 1871, the historic site of Heaven Hill Distillery’s Bernheim facility, D.S.P. -KY 1, is a landmark for a broad range of iconic brands in the American Whiskey category. Acquired in 1999 by Heaven Hill, the site is now home to the Evan Williams Bourbon, the second largest selling Bourbon in the world, Larceny, Elijah Craig, and Henry McKenna, among others. The current expansion brings capacity to 400,000 barrels per year, marking Heaven Hill’s commitment to producing a full range of American Whiskey styles to meet current and future demand.

“As an American-owned and operated company, Heaven Hill Distillery is proud to be on the forefront of the American Whiskey movement and embark on the latest iteration of distillery technology and innovation,” said Shapira. “The Bourbon distillation project combines the latest of distilling techniques with the ability to produce our brands using traditional methods as we have for more than 80 years.”

Bernheim’s history as a leading distillery in experimentation, coupled with Heaven Hill’s commitment to quality, sets the stage for growth of both innovative and historic brands. Major components of the current expansion include four additional fermenters, another distillation set of a thumper and 66-inch beer column, a drop tub to increase number of mashes per day, a 50,000 pph boiler, a new grain handling and storage upgrade, a cooling capacity upgrade, and an operations software upgrade. Two prior expansions were completed at Bernheim since 2006, with the first bringing capacity to 200,000 barrels per year in 2007 and the second to 300,000 barrels per year in 2014. Since 2016, Heaven Hill has opened four warehouses at the new Cox’s Creek barrel warehouse location, where each warehouse holds almost 57,000 barrels of the more than 1.3 million barrels (approximately 25% of the world’s Bourbon supply) aging across Jefferson and Nelson Counties.

“This expansion is a truly monumental event for Heaven Hill, for the city of Louisville, and for the bourbon industry worldwide,” said Congressman Yarmuth. “This historic company has continued to distill some of the best American Whiskeys for nearly a century, and has helped lead the rebirth of bourbon as America’s native spirit. As co-chair of the Congressional Bourbon Caucus, I’m especially proud to now represent the largest bourbon production site in the world.”

In conjunction with Heaven Hill’s growing economic impact in the West Louisville community, Shapira also introduced a partnership with Dare to Care to support hunger relief within the area. A $10,000 donation will support a mobile pantry unit for West Louisville and purchase six freezers for partner agencies within the area to distribute fresh food and produce.

To celebrate the achievement, a commemorative barrel was signed by Heaven Hill employees and local dignitaries, and all shared a toast of Evan Williams Bourbon. The company remains true today to its original mission as a family-owned and operated, independent Kentucky company—the last remaining in the Bourbon business today. Lifting America’s spirit since 1935, Heaven Hill Distillery continues to be on the forefront of Bourbon as it has been through the last eight decades.

ABOUT HEAVEN HILL DISTILLERY 
Founded in Kentucky by the Shapira family in 1935, Heaven Hill Distillery continues its legacy as one of the foremost American Whiskey producers. Heaven Hill has cultivated the traditions and history of America’s Native Spirit with its fierce independence, passionate family ownership, dedication to quality, and thoughtful innovation. Today, Heaven Hill Distillery maintains over 1.3 million barrels aging in 54 warehouses throughout Nelson and Jefferson Counties. It is home to an award-winning collection of American Whiskeys including Elijah Craig Bourbon, Larceny Bourbon, Evan Williams Bourbon, Pikesville Rye Whiskey, Rittenhouse Rye Whisky and Parker’s Heritage Collection. Heaven Hill Distillery previously held the titles of 2016 Whisky Magazine Distillery of the Year, 2016 Whiskey Advocate American Whiskey of the Year and 2016 Rye Whiskey of the Year from “Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.” For more information, please visit www.heavenhilldistillery.com. 

Heaven Hill reminds you to “Think Wisely.  Drink Wisely.”

Van Winkle Bourbon Coming Soon

Barrels yield slightly more of some, but no Rye whiskey for 2017

FRANKFORT, FRANKLIN COUNTY, KY (Oct. 26, 2017) – This is the favorite time of the year for bourbon fans, the annual release of the Van Winkle Bourbons is near. Yields are a bit higher for the 10, 15 and 23 year old whiskies, but the 13-Year-Old Van Winkle Reserve Rye will not be released this year. “We have a one year gap in barrel inventory for the Van Winkle Rye. Our current barrels are 12 years old. So rather than compromise on quality or remove the age statement, we decided it would be best to hold off this year and bottle them next year as the 13 Year Old Rye Whiskey fans have come to expect,” said Kris Comstock, senior marketing director.

Known for their smoother and sweeter flavor due to their wheat recipe vs a traditional rye recipe found in most bourbons, Van Winkle bourbons are aged years longer than most others and garner an impeccable reputation among connoisseurs. Although the bourbons have become increasingly popular worldwide in recent years, very little is sold overseas, so that most of these coveted bottles are available in the United States.

The Van Winkle collection consists of several whiskeys. Suggested retail prices are as follows:

• $59.99 – Old Rip Van Winkle Handmade Bourbon 10 Year Old 107 proof

• $69.99 – Van Winkle Special Reserve Bourbon 12 Year Old

• $99.99 – Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 15 Year Old

• $169.99 – Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 20 Year Old

• $269.99 – Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 23 Year Old

“Unfortunately we do not control the pricing retailers charge, so many retailers mark it up, even though we ask them not to,” said Julian Van Winkle, president, Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery. “We have not raised prices and do not intend to do so drastically in the future. We are committed to our quality and our pricing and hope retailers will honor what we suggest as retail pricing.”

Upon release of the Van Winkle bourbon this fall, Buffalo Trace warns consumers to be wary of online resellers such as Craigslist and other online marketplaces, especially private Facebook groups.

“Some bottles they are selling might be counterfeit, filled with lesser whiskey, or worse, something that’s not even whiskey and potentially dangerous,” added Comstock. “At the bare minimum, it’s illegal to buy and resell whiskey if you are not a licensed retailer, and we’re not afraid to take action if we find out.”

The Van Winkle line of whiskeys has won a multitude of awards through the years, including the 20-year-old receiving a gold medal at the 2016 World Whiskies Awards; the 15-year-old being named Overall Winner, Best Age Statement Bourbon at the 2016 World Whiskies Awards; and the 12-year-old achieving 96 points at the 2016 Ultimate Spirits Challenge.

The Van Winkle Whiskeys will be available starting in November, but please be mindful that supply is quite limited and bottles shall be hard to find in stores, bars and restaurants. They will be packed three bottles per case.

About Van Winkle Bourbon

The Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery has a four generation history. The Van Winkle family’s involvement in the bourbon industry began in the late 1800s with Julian P. “Pappy” Van Winkle, Sr. He was a traveling salesman for the W.L. Weller and Sons wholesale house in Louisville. Pappy and a friend, Alex Farnsley, eventually bought the wholesale house and also partnered with Mr. A. Ph. Stitzel on the purchase of Mr. Stitzel’s distillery. The three of them merged the two companies and became the Stitzel-Weller Distillery. In May of 1935 at the age of 61, Pappy opened the newly completed Stitzel-Weller Distillery in South Louisville. Its prominent brands were W.L. Weller, Old Fitzgerald, Rebel Yell, and Cabin Still. Pappy had a heavy influence on the operations there until his death at the age of 91. His son, Julian, Jr. took over operations until he was forced by stockholders to sell the distillery in 1972. The rights to all of their brands were sold to Norton Simon, Inc. Later, United Distillers, who eventually ended up with the Stitzel-Weller Distillery, sold off all of the original labels around 1999. After selling the distillery, Julian Jr. resurrected a pre-Prohibition label, the only one to which the Van Winkles kept the rights, called Old Rip Van Winkle. He used whiskey stocks from the old distillery to supply his brand. Julian Jr.’s son, Julian, III took over in 1981 when Julian, Jr. passed away. Julian III has continued with the Van Winkle tradition of producing high-quality wheated bourbon. His son, Preston, joined the company in 2001 and the Van Winkles look to continue that tradition for generations to come. In 2002 the Van Winkles entered into a joint venture with Buffalo Trace Distillery in Franklin County, Frankfort, Ky. All of the Van Winkle’s whiskey production now takes place at Buffalo Trace Distillery under the same strict guidelines the family has always followed

WHISKY MAGIC AT GLENWYVIS DISTILLERY AS VERY FIRST DISTILLERY MANAGER HIRED

AND £250,000 TARGET REACHED

Excitement surrounding GlenWyvis Distillery in Dingwall has reached a whole new level, this week, as the appointment of the very first distillery manager is confirmed and the first target of £250,000 is achieved on the second share offer campaign.

Announcing the new distillery manager appointment, David O’Connor, chairman of GlenWyvis Distillery said: “This is a particularly special appointment as it is the lynch-pin to the next stage of our development, as we move from construction to distilling and production. We had a lot of good interest in this post – but there was one outstanding candidate.

“So we are delighted to bring Duncan Tait on board as our very first distillery manager. Currently distillery manager at Mortlach Distillery, Duncan brings with him a wealth of distilling experience and in-depth knowledge of the whisky and tourism industry.

“He has many years of experience in distillery growth and team development and this is vital to us, as we prepare to open our doors, start our distilling operation and look to develop the GlenWyvis visitor experience. He also has a great knowledge of the local area and local whisky history, and along with his great character and personality, he will most definitely help to make the GlenWyvis brand a success in the global whisky arena.”

Commenting on his new role, Duncan Tait, GlenWyvis Distillery’s very first distillery manager, said: “This is a tremendous opportunity to be part of a distilling journey at the very start, and amazing to become the very first distillery manager here at GlenWyvis.

Duncan added: “I have a strong affiliation with the Easter Ross area, having started my career at Teaninich Distillery in Alness, and I’m delighted to be coming back. There is such a wealth of Highland heritage linked to the distillery and I am particularly interested in how that interlinks with our community development aspirations as we welcome our first tours to GlenWyvis in due course.

“I have enjoyed many years whisky distilling in Speyside and see this as a fantastic career move to join the GlenWyvis team in the creation of the first 100% community owned distillery.”

The now five strong team at GlenWyvis has been working round the clock to make their second share offer a success with gin tastings, promotions, attendance at local and national events and numerous media and TV appearances.

David O’Connor added: “Coincidentally, as we appoint Duncan, we are also seeing a continued surge of active share offer investors and this has pushed our target over the quarter million pound mark this week, showing we still have a popular ongoing investor proposition.”

Hitting the first ‘whisky magic’ rung of £250,000 is the first step towards the distillery’s overall aim of raising an additional £750,000 on its second share offer. The funds raised will be used to accelerate the GlenWyvis brand development, to bring gin distilling to Dingwall and to reduce commercial lending costs.

 James Proctor, Programme Manager at Community Shares Scotland said: “We are delighted to see this ambitious project hit its initial investment target so quickly and also congratulate them on this important appointment of the first distillery manager.

“The growing numbers of GlenWyvis members is testament to the power of the idea of a community-owned distillery. It’s a great example of how a Community Shares offer can involve people and has expanded the idea of what a community business is. We look forward to the opening of the distillery and seeing more people take the opportunity to invest in this pioneering enterprise.”

The GlenWyvis Distillery, which will be entirely powered by green energy, is nearing completion at the Heights of Dochcarty by Dingwall and is on-schedule to open next month.

Notes

Duncan Tait Distillery Manager Biography – newly appointed to GlenWyvis

Duncan has worked for Diageo across all aspects of distillery and distilling management with an impressive track-record with over 26 years in the industry. Working mainly in Speyside – but also with Lothians and West Coast distillery experience.

He brings with him an impressive knowledge of all aspects of distillery, production development and retail management including overseeing the upgrade and expansion work of numerous distilleries. In addition, he has a wealth of Scottish tourism, event management and heritage experience and has worked with many international visitors and markets.

Second Share offer investment

GlenWyvis already had some 2,600 members who invested £2.6 million in the original share offer in 2016 and this new open share offer has already added a further 400 members in just two months. The share issue was launched to capitalise on continued interest from locals and visitors alike. The minimum investment is £250 for all investors, and supporters are also able pay extra to have their name added to the distillery wall or the “path to the stills”. 

Full details of the open share offer available on the GlenWyvis Distillery website at http://www.glenwyvis.com/.

Investment can be made online via www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ or www.glenwyvis.com/

Distillery build links can be found here: youtu.be/11-KyBf8E2M and  youtu.be/3meRWeyi-DE